Isfjorden

Isfjorden is the widest fjord in Spitsbergen, stretching over 100 kilometers inland with numerous branches extending from its main channel. The southern coastline is characterized by steep mountain walls that rise directly from the water.

English explorer Jonas Poole named it Ice Sound in 1610 after encountering its icy waters, while earlier Dutch cartographers had given it different names based on voyages to the region. The fjord's name evolved over centuries as various explorers mapped these Arctic waters.

Communities around the fjord developed because of coal mining opportunities and still reflect the resourceful spirit of people living in this remote region. The settlements show how inhabitants adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth.

The area is best explored by boat since most locations are accessed from the water and roads are limited. Conditions are harsh and change rapidly, so it helps to be prepared and check local weather and navigation advice before setting out.

The fjord system supports more than three-quarters of all vascular plant species found across the entire archipelago despite its harsh climate. This concentration of plant diversity is surprising for such a far northern and icy location.